Laminates of webs, such as films and fibrous webs are well known in the art. For example, nonwoven webs are often laminated with polymer films such that they are useful as materials in disposable products such as backsheets on disposable absorbent diapers, for example. In such laminates the nonwoven portion can provide softness while the film portion can provide for fluid impermeability.
In many applications it is desirable that laminates of webs have a bulky texture and/or softness. Additionally, it is desirable that laminates of webs have the texture and softness different on the two sides of the web. That is, the web can have a textured, relatively rough surface on one side, and a soft, relatively smooth surface on the other side. This can be achieved by laminating two dissimilar webs together, such as by adhesive or thermal bonding means. For example, a tufted nonwoven web can be adhered by adhesive to a non-tufted nonwoven web to make a laminate web having two sides with very different textures and softness characteristics.
Additionally, it is known to combine into a laminate two nonwoven materials to gain the benefits of dissimilar materials in a single laminate web. For example, it is known to needlepunch nonwoven webs to produce integrally-bonded and entangled nonwoven webs. This process is often simply referred to as “needling.” U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,951 granted Jan. 14, 1992 to Guthrie, for example, discloses a nonwoven web composed of multiple layers bonded by a needling process that causes some fibers to extend through the entire thickness of the fabric and beyond the surface, thereby leaving short segments of filaments protruding from the exterior surface of the web. Frequently hydroentangling is used to accomplish a similar entangling of two fibrous nonwoven webs. Needling, like fluid entangling, is a relatively slow and therefore expensive process for manufacture of nonwoven webs, particularly for webs intended for disposable article use.
In general, current methods for making laminates of films and fibrous webs having bulky or tufted textures on at least one side thereof are either relatively expensive for many applications of such webs, or the resulting webs are too stiff due to the application of adhesives or thermal bonding.
Accordingly, there is a need for a low cost laminate web having terry cloth-like properties.
Additionally, there is a need for a laminate web in which a nonwoven having tufted regions and a film or another nonwoven layer can be joined, preferably by means that do not require adhesives or thermal bonding to remain laminated.
Additionally, there is a need for a laminate web in which the layers are not only joined to but also integrated through one another.
Additionally, there is a need for a method of relatively inexpensively making a laminate web having terry cloth-like properties.
Further, there is a need for a low cost method of making a soft, high bulk porous laminate web of film, woven and/or nonwoven material.